


Love Runs Cold

by orphan_account



Category: Hamilton - Miranda, Turn (TV 2014)
Genre: Benedict Arnold's a dick, Blood, F/F, F/M, M/M, Poly Relationships, Violence, and violent, dubcon, spy AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-05
Updated: 2016-07-14
Packaged: 2018-07-21 19:17:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7400356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ben and John take far more risks than any of their partners would like. The consequences are not always pleasant.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a mash up of Turn Verse and Hamilton verse. Everyone is the Hamilton version of themselves except for Ben, Anna, Hewlett, Abe, Mary, Benedict Arnold, Peggy Shippen, Andre, Caleb and later Robert Townsend, Robert Rogers and Bradford. 
> 
> Also John Laurens and Ben are the center of this fic cause I adore them, but many relationships will be explored throughout.

"Sir, I think I have an opening, I've caught Arnold's eye," Washington heard Lauren's voice come over the com system, a quick gesture towards Abe and a nod at Mary across the control room indicating that they should boost the signal. 

"Take it Lauren's but proceed with caution, reports indicate Arnold is extremely paranoid and highly dangerous."

"Noted Sir, I'm removing my com, Arnold's been around the block long enough to recognize a wire," Lauren's voice crackled over the airwaves.

"Absolutely not," Washington nearly shouted, a chorus of voices echoing his sentiment across the channel, "paranoia or not, you remove your com and we have no way of assuring your safety, you are not to put yourself at personal risk like that, not ever."

"With all due respect sir, that wasn't a request," and with that parting shot John Laurens' channel turned to static. 

"Fucking hells," Washington muttered, running a large hand across his face, pinching the bridge of his nose and trying to take several deep calming breaths before he spoke to the rest of their team. "I need eyes on Lauren's anyone, Hewlett, Strong?"

\--

"We've lost visual sir, he slipped through the west doors with Arnold," Anna responded, hand gripping Hewlett's so hard she could practically hear the bones in his hand creaking, her big dark eyes scanning the room for any sign of her friend. 

"Lafayette, Mulligan?" Washington's voice crackled to life once more. 

\--

"Non," Lafayette responds, his own eyes scanning the room frantically, restlessly shifting from foot to foot as he frantically searched for a familiar head of dark curls and face full of freckles. How could John be so reckless, actually, non, he knew John too well, his lover was always reckless. He cursed himself for being such a fool to take his eyes off of him for even a moment. 

He hadn't realized how tightly he had been gripping his drink until he felt Hercules pry it from his hand, carefully examining the thin crack that had formed before setting it aside. "I've lost visual too, but Anna is right, I saw them slip out the west doors as well."

"Schuyler, Hamilton?" Washington queried again, running through the line of agents who had infiltrated the party. 

\--

"No sir," Alexander responded, voice tight as he spun Eliza across the dance floor, his wife offering a sympathetic smile when she saw how worried he was for his friend's well being. 

"Dammit, Brewster?"

\--

"Negative sir, I've lost Ben too," Caleb could feel his heart speed up, dread settling in when he was unable to find Ben amongst the well dressed hoard in Arnold's ballroom. Fuck it, he had known this had been a terrible idea. It was too soon for them to be in this deep, over half of their full team undercover just to get even the tiniest bit of proof that Arnold was blackmailing Jefferson, laundering money through Robert Rogers and trading state secrets to one of Lee's cronies, Bradford. 

"Sir, I have eyes on Lauren's," Ben's voice crackled to life and Caleb felt a wave of relief pour through him. 

\--

Ben had seen it all, the coy smile John had thrown Arnold's way, the hungry grin crossing the other man's features. Ben took a great deal of pride in his work as a spy, particularly his ability to seduce almost any target, but Laurens, he was in a whole other league and Arnold, well it wasn't exactly difficult to get a man of his appetite into the bedroom, something Ben could confirm based on past experience. 

Still he worried for John when the other man had removed his com and slipped away from the main room with Arnold. Ben followed after silently, watching as the two of them slipped into what must have been Arnold's study. He'd seen the stormy look in Arnold's eyes when his fiancé, Peggy Shippen -an MI6 agent on loan from the Brits for a joint operation -had slipped away with John Andre. She was being pulled from the line of duty tonight, Andre believing any further time at Arnold's side a risk to her safety. He new what Arnold would be like, the sort of rage that could find its way into the bedroom when this sort of a man was in a particular mood, and he was not going to allow his friend to subject himself to that type of torture alone. 

"Good work Benjamin, where are you, we'll send an evac team in for both you and Laurens, everyone else slip away as soon as you can," Ben could almost hear the relief in Washington's voice

"Negative sir, Laurens may have Arnold mostly fooled, but the moment any commotion is raised he'll know something is up, calling in an evac team will only put John's life at risk," Ben was right too, Arnold, for all of his many faults, wasn't an idiot. Ben really only had one option. "Sir, I'm going in, I will have to remove my com as well to avoid detection."

"Ben, no," he heard Caleb's command come in moments before Washington's.

"Benjamin, if you remove any line of communication we will be flying blind with regards to both Laurens' and your safety. Furthermore, how is it that you know Arnold won't suspect something the moment he sees you enter his study, after he deduces that you must have followed him."

Ben swallowed sharply, he had hoped to avoid sharing this information, too late now I guess, "sir, it is my understanding that you had assumed I had secured our invitations to this party through several high society contacts," and he had, for the most part, using his and Andre's connections to infiltrate the party. "That is mostly true, save two invitations, those that John and myself carry, that had to be secured through other methods."

"Don't tell me you did what I think you did Ben," Anna this time, she knew Ben's methods well enough, had employed similar tactics before much to her partner Edmund's chagrin. 

"Benjamin," somehow Washington's admonishments were even more effective over radio then in person which was astounding really. 

"Arnold knows me, or rather he knows Benjamin Brewster," Ben responding, shedding his suite coat, undoing his tie and popping the first few buttons, trying to affect the seductively casual appearance he had managed when first meeting Arnold. "He knows the whip smart high end escort from New York with a taste for high society and a willingness to do anything given enough incentive. He was kind enough to secure two invitations to this party for that Ben, one for him and one for a dear friend Jack."

"You allowed mon amour to pose as a prostitute," Ben could almost feel Lafayette's fury over the coms. 

"Friend of a prostitute," Ben corrected, although in all likelihood his connection to Ben's alias had caused Arnold to draw conclusions of his own. "And don't go blaming me for this, I secured an invitation, I did not tell Laurens to try and pull a Honeypot scheme over on one of the most notorious and violent criminals we have yet to come into contact with."

"Irregardless Benjamin, you do not remove your com, that is a direct order," Washington again. 

"Apologies sir, but I can't leave John alone with that monster, orders or not," and with that Ben removed his com, crushing it in his hand and dumping the fragments into a potted plant before pushing his way into the room he had seen Arnold and John enter. 

\--

"Lafayette, Brewster."

"Sir," both men responded at once, voices even and professional even as they both were utterly consumed with worry for their lovers. 

"Retrieve Laurens and Tallmadge at any cost."

"Sir?" Abe this time, speaking up for the first time tonight. 

"Mission be damned, I refuse to lose either of them, understood."

"Yes sir," echoed a chorus of voices. 

\--

Arnold whirled around, knife raised the moment Ben entered the room, posture relaxing as soon as he recognized who it was. "Benjamin, I hadn't thought you had made it tonight."

Ben was careful to keep the fear and disgust from his eyes as he glanced at Arnold and John. John was strung up, wrists chained above his head, dangling from the ceiling, forced onto his tip toes to keep pressure off of his shoulders. He'd been divested of everything but a pair of black boxer briefs and a make shift gag, Arnold's tie, tied in a tight knot at the base of his skull. That wasn't what bothered Ben most though. No what bothered him most was the red handprint on John's cheek that stood out in sharp relief against his dark skin and the BA that had been carved into his left pectoral, still bleeding profusely. Ben had a matching wound on his left shoulder blade from six days ago, one that even Caleb had not seen yet, Peggy a scar on her inner thigh from months back. According to Arnold, he liked to mark the pretty things that belonged to him, and in his deranged mind people like Ben, Peggy and John were just that, things, to be used and discarded as he so chose. 

Still, Ben had a mission to complete, so he shoved his worry for John back in order to play the part of the whore. "I was a bit late," he responded, throwing a bit more swing into his hips as he sauntered towards Arnold and John. "I hadn't thought you'd start so soon, then again, Jackie looks so pretty I can understand how you couldn't wait." He stopped in front of John, back to Arnold, reaching up to cup John's cheek, thumb brushing across the peak in an attempt to sooth the other man. John's eyes were wide with fear, he hadn't expected this from Arnold, hadn't been prepared for it and Ben could tell it terrified him. Ben could help now though, take some of the attention off John, with two different pretty young men to hold his attention Arnold should be unable to focus his energy enough to cause any lasting harm to either of them. 

He felt Arnold's arms wrap around his waist, chin going to rest on Ben's shoulder. "Just look at you two," Ben can feel Arnold's lips at his throat, teeth grazing the vulnerable skin there. "So gorgeous the two of you, a perfect contrast."

And they were too, Ben tall and fair, slim, but still solidly built. John was shorter, wiry and dark, all bright eyes and a hot temper the belied a gentle soul. Ben was a New Haven boy, born of privilege and who had never really known struggle until both his father and brother had passed in his late teens, leaving him utterly alone in the world. John had grown up a street kid, a runaway at seven born to a wealthy South Carolina family with an abusive patriarch. Somehow he had found his way to New York and met Alex, joined the military at eighteen and the rest was history. They were polar opposites, a study in contrast that Arnold had certainly not been the first to notice. Both Caleb and Lafayette had commented on it the first time the four of them tumbled into bed, a sentiment echoed by Washington during a tryst between the three of them, discussed again with Eliza and Hamilton and then once more during that one weird time they'd ended up in bed with Anna, Mary, Abe, Caleb, and Lafayette - before Hewlett had come into the picture for Anna. 

What Arnold couldn't know, what he never would know, was just how similar John and Ben were despite their outward appearances. Both were quick to anger but even quicker to settle with just the right glance from their lover. Loyal to a fault, determined, fighters in every way, and they loved each other, hell, everyone on their team loved each other, but Ben and John had always had a particular soft spot for each other, one Caleb and Lafayette exploited ruthlessly for their own amusement in the bedroom. 

But none of that could show up here, not when they were playing at Ben Brewster and Jack Laurens. "We are, aren't we," Ben responded, keeping his eyes locked with John's, reaching up to untie the gag before leaning in for a soft kiss, one that John, bless his ability to catch on to the game quickly, returned with fervor. 

"So lovely," Arnold echoed, biting down at the juncture of Ben's throat and shoulder to the point of drawing blood, grip on Ben's hips so tight it was sure to bruise. He had just worked a hand into Ben's slacks when their was a sharp knock at the door. "What now," Arnold growled out. 

"Sir, a messenger arrived, from Senator Jefferson, he claims it was important," a voice called through the door, a voice both Ben and John knew all to well, Lafayette apparently posing as one of Arnold's errand boys. 

Arnold pulled back, "excuse me dearest, it would seem I need to administer a chastisement," he placed a soft kiss to the back of Ben's head before striding out of the room. "I don't recall hiring you," Ben heard him mutter through the door, but he failed to catch Lafayette's response. What ever it was it had clearly been enough as he heard heavy footsteps striding away, Lafayette bursting through the room only a few moments later, Caleb right behind him. 

The moment Lafayette caught site of John a sharp growl echoed through the room, "I'll murder that sick bastard."

"No time," Ben responded, working to undo the chains around John's wrist, only just catching the other man when he nearly crumpled to the ground once he had been freed. "Can you walk, clothes?"

John nodded, but it was clear he was unsteady on his feet.

"Mon ami, we need to get out of here now," Lafayette was on John's other side, draping his suite jacket over John and taking most of his weight off of Ben, freeing Caleb up to pull Ben over and press their foreheads together, fire in his eyes as he spoke. 

"You do not do anything like that ever again, understood."

"No promises," Ben grinned back only to receive a sharp squeeze to where Caleb gripped the back of his neck holding him in close. "Caleb, I wasn't going to leave John on his own with that thing."

"John can still hear all of you," came a soft drawl, dragging both of their eyes over to where their friend was propped up against Lafayette. "Also, Arnold has some documents on the desk that might be of use," John nodded towards the desk in the corner of the room, a large oak monstrosity covered in papers. "Folder on the corner looks important, no sense in making this mission a complete waste."

Caleb pulled away to snatch the folder in question off Arnold's desk and shove it into his suite coat before turning to point an accusing finger at both John and Ben, "we are not done talking about this sort of reckless behavior, we will finish this when we get back to base."

"Looking forward to it," John responded with a haggard smile, only to let out a sharp yelp when Lafayette landed a harsh smack on his outer thigh. 

"Hush," the Frenchman admonished, "now is not a time for your lip, Washington will have your hide when we return home."

Shit, Ben hadn't even considered his superiors rage when he rushed in or the consequences that might lead too. 

Caleb must have recognized the stricken look on Ben's face, "hadn't really thought that through had you Benny boy, now come one, we need to leave."

This debriefing was not going to be enjoyable to say the least.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Peggy's nickname for Laurens is LoLo. Don't ask, inside joke.

"You were reckless, thoughtless and exhibited zero regard for the safety of yourself or your team."

"Sir, please Ben was only trying..." Laurens attempts to defend his friend were shut down immediately. 

"Silence, I will deal with you soon enough," Washington commanded, the tone in his voice had John curling in on himself, pulling his knees up to his chest so his feet rested on the chair, tugging the fleece blanket he had been given tighter around his naked shoulders, turning to glance up at Lafayette for some sort of comfort only to receive a harsh glare that had him quickly averting his eyes back down to the floor. 

They had been dragged into debriefing almost immediately after they arrived on base, Eliza having barely enough time to bandage the cut on John's chest and throw a blanket around him. That had been two hours ago and they were still getting reamed for their actions. 

"Sir, we had little choice, the current circumstances and Agent Shippen's removal from the field required that we act quickly. John was operating with limited knowledge regarding Arnold's proclivities, which is largely mine and Agent Shippen's fault for not previously disclosing this information, and took what was the most rational route to achieve rapid results."

Out of the corner or his eye Ben could see Andre's hackles raising, only calming when Peggy laid a gentle hand on his arm. Still, anger simmered beneath the surface when he spoke. "Are you somehow implying Peggy is at fault for what occurred? She was pulled for her safety, you've seen what Arnold has done to her, the very same was done to Laurens and his current state only confirms that I was right to pull her from this assignment."

Ben turned to face Andre fully, "I don't fault you for pulling Agent Shippen, I am simply stating the facts. John acted in a way any experienced agent would given the information he had been armed with. You and I agreed to keep what Arnold had done to Peggy, the way he had marked her, out of our official reports as it was not deemed pertinent to our operation and because Peggy worried she would be pulled from the assignment the moment Washington learned of it."

"And she would have," Washington interjected, "months ago instead of a few hours ago and had you shared this information with me we would not currently be in the position we are now."

Peggy pulled away from Andre, moving across the room to crouch down in front of John, gathering one of his hands in hers as he peered over his knee caps at her. "I am so sorry for what he did to you LoLo. I knew what Arnold was like and had I ever thought anyone else would have ended up in the position Ben and I had I would have warned all of you about this."

Ben noticed instantly the way Peggy's words put the entire room on edge. Caleb's brows snapped together in a sharp frown, Hamilton opened his mouth to say something but Eliza quickly slapped a hand across his mouth effectively silencing him. Hell, even Burr looked worried and he hadn't even been a part of this operation. 

"Care to explain Agent Tallmadge," Washington's words were ice when he spoke again. 

John, sweet, wonderful John caught on much quicker than anyone else, reaching across the distance between there chairs with his free hand to grip Ben's, offering a gentle, reassuring squeeze. 

Ben took comfort in John's touch, the way it managed to ground him. After all, they were both in for it now. Whatever punishment one of them might suffer, dismissal most likely, desk duty for the rest of their lives at the very least, the other would face as well. "I did what was necessary sir. I'll carry scars for it, just as John and Peggy will, but if there is even a scrap of evidence against Arnold in the folder retrieved than it will be worth it." He didn't know what was in that folder, none of them did, there hadn't been time to open it before they were evacuated and it was rushed off to Washington. In fact, Washington was probably the only one who knew its contents. Now it sat, innocuously on Washington's desk. There had to be something in there, something they could use, Ben just knew it. 

Or so he thought, Washington would quickly dispell the thought that the contents of that folder would be of any use simply by handing it off to Ben. 

Ben wasn't exactly sure what he expected when he opened that folder, but it wasn't this. 

There were 9 photographs in total within the folder. The first three were of Peggy. One, her browsing a clothing rack in Saks, last winter, Ben thinks. He remembers she bought that smart wool coat she had on in November. The next was her walking arm in arm with Washington, late March of last year those were the streets of Paris, the two of them had been sent there posing as newlyweds. The final photo was more recent, maybe a few months back. It was blurry, taken from a far but you could still make out the image of Peggy leaning across the table of a cafe the whole lot of them often frequented to plant a soft kiss on Andre's cheek. 

The next three photos were of Ben himself. One of he and Anna strolling through the local farmers market, less than four months back, Ben recognized the peonies in Anna's hands, a deviation from her usual flowers. The second was he and Abe rough housing on the lawn of the national mall, Thomas and Mary laughing at them as Ben held Abe in a headlock. Over a year old, he could tell because of how young Thomas looked. The third photo was of him and Caleb. Caleb was leaning down from a ladder to kiss Ben. That one was less than two weeks old, they had been cleaning out their gutters. 

The next three photos, and possibly the three most disturbing of the set, were of John. The first image was a decade older than every other one they had seen. It was John, maybe fifteen, dressed in threadbare rags, face smudge with dirt, standing next to Hamilton and laughing as they warmed themselves by a trash can fire. Another, probably a couple months old, was of Hercules and John, dressed to the nines and standing in front of the Capitol building. Hercules stood a few steps down from John, grinning up at his young friend like he was the goddamn sun. 

The final image, the one that had everyone in the room letting out a sharp gasp of horror, the one that sent John into a panic that wouldn't even cease when Lafayette pulled him from his seat and into his arms, ordering his lover to breath, just please breath. That one was from two nights ago, Ben knew because he recognized the dark purple hickey he had left on John's hip. It was an image of the master bedroom of the small town home John and Lafayette shared on F street, and unlike some of the other photographs, this one was crystal clear. Lafayette had John pressed into the wall of their bedroom, one hand twisted in John's hair, the other pinning his wrists above his head. His mouth was at his lover's throat, John, eyes closed, a look of ecstasy on his face, had tilted his head back to provide better access, his long legs wrapped around Lafayette's waist, the full expanse of his freckled skin exposed despite the fact that his partner was still fully dressed. 

John in the present had been reduced to large gasping breaths, panic and fear spilling over and consuming him, barely able to get himself under control before Washington spoke again. 

"All three of your homes were bugged. We've had a team go through, Arnold was very thorough. I doubt these are the only images he has of the three of you. He's had eyes on you for years now, why, we can't be sure, but needless to say he knows who you are and has simply been toying with us for the last few months." Washington stepped forward now, crouching beside Peggy, one arm pulling her into his side, draping across her shoulder, hand resting on Ben's knee. The other used to tug John out of Lafayette's grip and back the ground, allowing the smaller man to tuck his face into Washington's neck. "We're going to keep you safe, I promise. Peggy, you will return with Andre to London tomorrow." Peggy made a noise of protest, but was cut off by a sharp look from Andre and a gentle shushing from Washington. "Arnold's reach is far, but even he wouldn't dare touch an MI6 agent on British soil. Ben and John, the two of you will be on desk duty."

"But Sir!" Ben tried to interrupt. 

"Hush Benjamin," Washington admonished. "It's only temporary, just until we know you are both safe. Neither of you are to travel alone outside of this compound, understood?"

"Yes Sir," both John and Ben responded. 

Washington gave Ben's knee a quick squeeze and pressed a kiss into John's hair. "We'll keep you safe, I swear it."

Funny how not all promises can be so easily kept.


	3. Chapter 3

It was round about five AM when Eliza finally made it to bed. She'd spent the last few hours trying to calm John down and also get a better look at the cuts on Ben's shoulder. They had all opted to stay on sight, each retreating to the various bedrooms within the compound they had claimed as their own. 

She had expected Alexander to already be asleep after such an exhausting assignment, but really she should have known better. 

Alexander was still up when she entered the room, propped up against some pillows, folders spread out before him. As Eliza drew closer she could see that each folder contained details of the early years of Arnold's criminal empire and his steady rise to infamy. 

"Darling, you need to sleep," she knew trying to pull him away from this rabbit hole would be useless, but she had to try. 

"I just can't figure it out," he muttered in return. "Why John, and why all the way back then, it doesn't make any sense."

"It may just be a coincidence Alex, maybe John caught his eye once when you were boys." Eliza moved to sit on the bed next to him, careful to not disturb any of the papers there. "You were in New York for most of your teenage years right? Arnold was there as well during his early days in crime, it's entirely possible he caught sight of John and that is where the photograph came from."

"But it doesn't make sense Eliza," Alexander protested. "Ben and Peggy I understand, beautiful people from well to do families, both went to high profile Universities, their both geniuses in their own right. I could understand why people like that would catch Arnold's eye, but John? He didn't even go to high school, only got his GED because he was forced to if he wanted to gain any traction with a military career. He's brilliant, I know that, but any real knowledge he's gained has been either in the line of duty or from the books and magazines we used to steal from the corner newsstands. He wasn't even on Washington's radar until after two tours in Iraq and a year with special ops. So why would Arnold have a picture of John from when he was fifteen."

Eliza grabbed Alexander's face with both hands, forcing his eyes on her, "it's a coincidence Alex, a case of someone being in the wrong place at the wrong time and just catching Arnold's eye."

"But why, why John, there was nothing about either of us that was special back then," Eliza understood suddenly why Alexander was so insistent on pursuing this, she could see it in his dark eyes, he was afraid. Afraid for what might happen to his dearest friend, and for once Eliza wasn't sure there was anything she could do to quell that fear. 

"John is gorgeous, he was back then and he's even more so now," Alexander made a noise of protest but Eliza shushed him, "you know I don't mean that to say it's his only positive quality, I'm just stating that looks like that were probably more than enough to attract the attention of someone like Arnold."

Alexander moved to speak again but this time he was interrupted by the sound of the door opening and a soft voice. "A, Liza?" 

John's soft words were enough to have both of them out of the bed and across the room in an instant. "Sweetheart, what is it?" Alexander implored as his hands came up to frame John's face, Eliza moving to his side and gathering one of John's hands in hers. John was dressed only in a overly large shirt, one of Hercules' probably, and a pair of Boxers, Lafayette's based on the Eiffel Tower pattern, a blanket, the one from the back of the couch in Washington's office, wrapped around his shoulders. 

"Couldn't sleep without you two," John responded, pressing into Alexander's touch, squeezing Eliza's hand gently. "We're all in Washington's office, join us, please."

Alexander nodded stepping back to grab some pillows and blankets from the bed while Eliza steered John out of the room and down the hall. 

When they arrived at Washington's office they could see that what John had said about everyone being here was indeed true. They'd all curled up in a giant puppy pile on the floor that was a mess of bodies, pillows and blankets.

John stepped gingerly around a few bodies to reclaim what must have been his spot in Lafayette's arms, tucking his head beneath the frenchman's chin and curling into him. Herc rolled back over to curve around John's back, arm coming up to drape across John and Lafayette's hip. John managed to wriggle one arm out of the pile of men to reach out and grip Peggy's hand. Peggy was tucked behind Lafayette, forehead pressed between his shoulder blades while Andre curled around her in much the same manner Hercules was tucked around John. Ben and Caleb lay near John and Lafayette's heads, perpendicular to the rest of the group, Caleb flat on his back, Ben's head resting on his chest. Abe and Mary were absent, having to return home to take care of Thomas, unwilling to leave him with his grandfather as a baby sitter for too long. Anna and Hewlett were also absent, returning to the control room to act as support for Angelica, Robert Townsend and Burr on another assignment. 

Washington was still at his desk though, working through a small mountain of papers, giving Alexander some pause. "Sir?" He questioned. 

"Get some sleep Hamilton," he responded, nodding towards the space that had been left open for Alexander and Eliza behind Hercules. "You're going to need it in the coming weeks, I can handle my paperwork on my own just fine."

Alexander made to protest, but Eliza tugged him away and then down to the floor once she had arranged the pillows and blankets to her liking. 

As they finally settled in Alexander felt some of his unease dissipate and when a small voice from the middle of the pile spoke up the knot in his stomach loosened a bit more. 

"Love you guys," John's declaration was met with a multitude of "love you too's" and finally Alexander was able to settle in and let sleep carry him away. They were safe for now, they would all be ok for at least this moment.


	4. Chapter 4

Three weeks of desk duty was pure hell. The field was exhausting, always had been, but in its own unique way it was rewarding. Paperwork on the other hand was an entirely thankless task that left Ben feeling completely drained and it only took him snapping at Anna for the second time this morning for everyone to notice. 

"Alright Tallboy, come with me," Caleb sighed, grabbing Ben by the arm and tugging him away from his desk and into Washington's currently empty office. "Sit," he ordered, pushing Ben down to sit on the couch in Washington's office, "and take a nap you need it."

"But Washington..." Ben started to protest. 

"Won't mind," this time it was Lafayette responding, stepping into the office and herding an exhausted looking John toward the couch. "You both need sleep and our esteemed leader will agree with us the moment he sees the state the two of you are in."

"Teaming up on us like this is hardly fair," muttered John as he sat down on the couch next to Ben. 

"Yeah, well neither is what you and Benny boy pulled on us with Arnold on the last field mission so sleep," retorted Caleb. 

"At least it's not paperwork," Ben shrugged. 

John shot him a baleful look, but started to stretch out across the couch anyway, leaving just enough room for Ben to curl up between his body and the back of the couch. 

The two of them were out within minutes, the last few weeks exhaustion finally catching up. 

\--

Ben wasn't sure how long he had been out but when he woke again it was to soft familiar voices and John tucked into his side. 

"'e is not sleeping most nights," Lafayette's soft accent was easily distinguished from the other two voices. "Refuses to set foot in the bedroom, I 'ave barely been allowed to touch him in three weeks."

"Ben's not sleeping either," Ben could recognize Caleb's voice anywhere. "Most nights he reads through reports or paces around the room. He even talked about selling the house and he loves that shit hole of a house. Always talked about how it's age gave it history and character, as though that somehow made up for the leaky roof and questionable electric wiring and now he suddenly wants to sell."

"I've done all can," Washington, his voice more distraught than Ben thinks he has heard him in years. "I worry for their health as well but beyond keeping them safe, trying to offer some protection from Arnold I do not know what else I might be able to do."

Ben shifted, prepared to interject as their current state was in no way shape or form a fault of Washington's, but he was interrupted by a loud ruckus just outside the office door. He could only just make out Mary's muffled cry of indignation before the door was slammed open, the noise it made as it crashed against the wall jolting John awake and sending him tumbling off of the couch. 

"George, it's been far too long," Benedict Arnold's voice oozed over all of them, leaving Ben feeling unsettled as both he and John climbed to their feet 

"Arnold," Washington returned, his voice frigid. 

"Really George, it's been months since I've seen you, although I have seen a fair bit of your agents," the leer he leveled in John and Ben's direction raised the hackles of everyone in the room and the noise that came from John's throat sounded more like the sort of growl a feral animal would make than anything human. 

"For reasons I am sure you are well aware of Benedict," Washington crossed his arms and straightened up to his full height.

"Ah yes, those pesky little allegations, filth being spewed by those who would see my business and political aspirations come to a swift halt. Lies, I can assure you," Arnold stepped further into the room, Caleb and Lafayette closing rank in front of John and Ben while a small crowd of Agents formed just outside Washington's door. 

"Several reports I've seen would claim otherwise," Washington stood firm still, voice steady and unwavering in the face of Arnold's obvious attempts to manipulate the other man by using whatever semblance of a friendship they had once had prior to when it had been made clear Arnold was engaging in certain illegal activities. 

"Come now George, you know you can't really trust what those politicians and snakes claim, after all, the lies they kept spinning are what drove you from politics into intelligence work, are they not."

Anna let out a sharp noise of indignation, but a look from Washington silenced her. His eyes then darted over to where John and Ben were, half hidden from his line of sight by Caleb and Lafayette. "Three of my agents bear scars that might lend credence to some of these claims."

"They enjoyed it," Arnold sneered, taking another step towards Washington, only a few feet between the two men now. 

"Agent Laurens' and Agent Tallmadge's currently emotional states would say otherwise," Washington returned. 

"I don't really but much stock in the last minute regrets of whores," another step forward, Arnold's attempts at intimidation seem to be failing, although his last comment had aroused some emotion from Washington. Based on the tick in his jaw Ben could tell he was only just refraining from striking the other man. 

"You're not welcome here sir, I would advise you leave."

Arnold's grin was almost triumphant, as though this had been exactly the response he had been seeking. "And your nose in my affairs is decidedly unwelcome as well. You will cease your investigation into any of my activities immediately."

Washington appeared unmoved by Arnold's little display. "Mt. Vernon is a private intelligence consulting firm the US government relies heavily on, we do not bow to the wishes of common criminals."

But of course, Arnold held an ace, something that had been carefully pieced together through years of monitoring Washington's team. "End your investigation or I will make sure that the whole world is made aware of your little harem," Arnold pulled a folder from his bag and tossed it down on the desk. "Did you really think those nine photo's were all I had. There's a few in there of your pretty little John too that should be particularly enlightening. I'm sure the press will have a field day when they find out you've employed a former whore."

All eyes turned towards John as the man flinched away. 

Comprehension dawned in Arnold's eyes. "They don't know, oh that's rich."

"John?" Washington's voice almost sounded broken when he spoke. 

"I never touched Arnold," John hastened to respond. "Up until a few weeks ago I had never even met him, but otherwise, I did what I needed to survive. Being a street kid in New York's not easy and sometimes you have to do things that you would never normally consider to get by. I didn't have a foster family like Alex. The Burr's took him in, cared about him, I never had someone like that so I found other ways to get by."

"It's the truth," Arnold interjected, a disturbingly wide grin crossing his features. "I never did get to fully enjoy your boy the way I would like. Peggy and Benjamin were pleasant enough, although Peggy could be a bit frigid and Benjamin was almost too eager to please, but John, I can only imagine the sort of wildcat he would be in bed based on the years of photos I have of him in rather compromising positions. Did I mention he was a favorite of senator Reeve's, made for superb blackmail material."

"Reeve's is an ally, you expose us and you would be exposing one of your own political allies to the same scrutiny and ridicule," bless Robert Townsend and his quick mind. 

"A loss I'm willing to take to drag you lot off of my trail," Arnold responded keeping his eyes locked on Washington. "Tell me George, what's it like having so many young pretty little things available for you to fuck whenever you choose, must be truly an enjoyable experience for you."

"Get out," Washington snarled, the calm facade he had managed to maintain finally breaking. 

Arnold only grinned and took a few steps back. "Very well then, I can tell when I'm not wanted, but remember what I said George, drop the investigation or those photos go public." Arnold turned away to leave only halting briefly to glance at John and then back at Washington. "I'll be back for that one as well, I'm not through with him."

It seemed that was the final straw for John as he launched himself forward in an attempt to maul Arnold, Caleb only just managing to grab him around the waist and hold him back. 

"Hmm, spitfire, looks like I was right," Arnold added, amusement heavy in his voice as he shoved agents out of the way to exit Washington's office.

"Two days George, two days to drop the case or those go public," he called back, the door to their compound slamming shut behind his words. 

What the hell were they going to do now.


End file.
